Heating system



0. RIMEEK HEATING SYSTEM May 8, 1934.

Filed Jan. 9, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I v YVENT DE- 5% K W I Li Z May 8, 1934.

c. R. MEEK HEATING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 9. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 im M Patented May 8, 1934 HEATING SYSTEM oar! R. Meek, Detroit, Mich. Application January 9, 1932, Serial No. 585,711

1 Claim. (01. 237-2) This invention relates to heating systems. One of the objects of the invention lies in the provision of a zone system of heating for a dwelling, in which one single heating unit is used in a 5 manner to provide a steamheating system for one portion of the dwelling and a hot air system for another portion thereof.

Another object lies in the provision of a heating system in which a heating unit such as a steam boiler is used, the same being fired by an automatically controlled device such as an oil or gas burner, the boiler being connected in an operative manner with a forced draft hotair unit in such manner as to provide a steam heating system for one zone of a dwelling and a hot air system for the remaining portion of the dwelling.

Still another object lies in providing a heating system which includes an automatically fired steam boiler anda hot air unitincluding a radiator portion having a circulating hot water connection with the boiler, there being provided a fan member in the hot air system for propelling air over the hot air radiator and an automatically operating control system which insures automatic heating of a dwelling in two zones, one zone being heated by steam and the other by hot air.

A further object lies in the provision of a single heating system including'a steam boiler and a cooperating forced hot air-system, the system beving controlled by dual thermostats in two zones of the dwelling to be heated, the thermostats insuring automatic and satisfactory heating of either zone of the dwelling 'without aifecting th other zone. I 7

Other objects will appear in the following specification, taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a combined elevation and diagrammatic showing of my dual zone heating system;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partially in section, showing the hot air portion of the heating unit; and

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2.

Generally it might be stated, that the present system is a single fired heating system, which is adapted to furnish two zones of a dwelling with different types of heat. In other words, a hot air system of heating has been found to be the most practical for several of the rooms of the ordinary home, such rooms being the hall, dining room, living room, library, etc. However, this system of heating, which lends itself readily to automatic humidification and air conditioning. is not as practicable when the upper or bed rooms ofthe home are concerned, in view of the fact that the windows are ordinarily left partially open during the night and operate in this way to provide pure air at a time when most needed. Steam heating lends itself more particularly to 6 the instantaneous heating of a bed room and especially has the advantage of permitting radiators to be partially closed when a minimum of heat is desired.

- From applicants experience in the installation of various heating systems, he has found that a combined'steam and hot air system of the zone type is highly desirable. It is necessary, how- 'everythat the two zones of the house be con- 7 trolled separately. 0

The ordinary home having an automatically fired heating system is usually controlled by a single thermostat; which of course cannot insure efilcient heating of all the rooms of thedwelling. The art will show various separate thermostatic controls for various portions of a dwelling; however, applicant is not interested in this character of device,'but desires a zone heating device with separate automatic control.

Referring to the drawings, applicants system is presented in asomewhat general manner; for instance, a low pressure type of steam boiler is shown at 10. The details of a boiler of this type are so well known as to make detail description unnecessary.

Means for firing the boiler in an automatic manner is provided by any well known type 0 burner, which is referred to generally as 1. Obviously, any type of automatically controlled burner may be used. 7

The dwelling to be heated is shown generally as made up of two zones A and B, the former referring to the lower portion of the. dwelling adapted to be heated by hot air, and B, the upper or bed rooms of a dwelling which are perhaps better heated by steam. The connection between the steam boiler and zone B is designated as 12, which comprises a conventional steam pipe connected with a radiator 12. Obviously, this type of system is sufliciently well known to obviate a detail disclosure of radiators, etc. Similarly, with respect to zone A, ithas not been thought necessary tolshowother than the ordinary hot air pipe 13 entering this zone.

With respect to the heating of zone B, the

automatically controlled heating device creates pressure within the steam boiler 10. The water in the boiler is normally held at a minimum temperature slightly below boiling by means'of the I aquastat 14 which operates to maintain the water burner. This control of the burner is through the electric connection 15, which in turn controls the burner through the conventional relay 16, which in turn controls the burner through the electrical connection 17 in the well known manner. In other words, the aquastat is a water temperature control for the operation of the burner, although the actual control of the steam heating system is from the house thermostat 18 located in the zone to be heated bysteam heat.

The effect of the operationof a system of this character is substantially the same as if two heating systems of difierent type were used, although in 'the present instance, it is quite obvious that there is but one heating system, while the hot air system forms a part of and operates in conjunction with the steam heating system.

With special reference to the hot air system,

a casing for the air heating system has been designated 19. The interior of this casing is divided by meansof a partition to form therein two compartments, one of which forms a duct through which return air may pass, if desired, through a conditioning filter 21 from an inlet 20 to an aperture 22. The incoming air passes directly through aperture 22 into a fan of conven present instance the same is shown to be of a fin type. The air, in passing over the radiator, obviously is heated and is forced directly into the hot air pipe 13, which communicates with suitable outlets in zone A of the dwelling.

For simplicity, as stated above, the zones have been shown merely in a diagrammatic manner. Now, as respects the manner of circulating the water from the steam boiler;to the radiator 28, in the first instance the radiator isdisposed lower than the heated water in the boiler 10. A pipe connection between the radiator and boiler is shown at 29. Means for circulating the water is accomplished through the before mentioned water pump 27, which is connected to the radiator by means of the pipe 31. An electric connection 32 is shown between the electric motor 24 and a relay 33 controlled by the house thermostat 34 located in the hot air zone A.

The operation of-the system is controlled by means of two thermostats 18 and 34 which operate independently of each other. One thermostat,located in the steam heated zone and designated 18, controls the operation of theburner by direct connection through a relay 16 with the motor of the burner. This is in the manner customary in steam installations today. The second thermostat 34,- located in the warm air heated zone, will control the operation of the burner and delivery of heat as follows: The

I 1,957,843 at the subboiling temperature by controlling the thermostat makes direct connection through the relay 33 with the motor of the air heating unit, which in turn drives the fan and the water pump 27. As the fan and water pump are brought into operation, the temperature of the water in the steam boiler is lowered and the burner then brought into' operation by the functioning of the aquastat 14. lhe control in the case of either zone is entirely automatic.

The results of a system of thischaracter will be a combined steam and air heating system,

using a single heat source in which the steam and warm air unitsoperate entirely independently of each other. They will either simultaneously or at diiierent times perform their full function. The temperature of the steam zone may be brought up to the desired degree without in any way affecting that of the other zone,

and likewise, that of the warm air zone may be employs the characteristic properties of water and steam as affected by changes in temperature through the addition of heat. Water up to boiling point is used as an element of heat transits mission for the air heating unit and when heat is desired in the steam heated vrzone it is accomplished by the addition of more heat and the generation of steam.

What I claim is:

A system for, heatingdual zones, including means for independently and automatically heating said zones from a single heating unit, including a steam boiler, automatically operated means for heating said boiler, a steam heating connection between the boiler and one of the zones to be heated, an air heating unit including a warm air conduit connected to a second zone to be heated, a radiator in said heating unit connected with the steam boiler, means for forcing returned air overthe radiator in such manner that warm air is forced to the last named zone, automatically operating means for independently controlling the heating of the two zones including a thermostat in the steam heated zone controlling the operation of the heating means for the steam boiler, a second thermostat in the warm air heated zone controlling the operation of the warm air system, and a temperature control in the steam boiler. operating to control the operation of the burner in such a manner that water in the boiler is automatically maintained at a temperature below boiling when the thermostat of the steam heated zone isnot calling for heat whereby heat may be supplied to the air heated zone without generation of steam for the steani heated zone to insure a supply of hot water for the radiator in the air heating unit.

CARL R. MEEK. 

